Buried Lies by Kristina Ohlsson

Author : Kristina Ohlsson
Title : Buried Lies
Published : 15/06/2017
Pages : 464
Genre : Mystery Fiction 
Publisher : Simon & Schuster UK







     Five brutal murders in two countries. A woman confesses to the killings, then leaps off a bridge to her death. Her brother insists she was innocent and wants the case reopened. But how do you vindicate a deceased, self-proclaimed killer?

     I have been a big fan of Scandinavian Noir for a long time now, I have devoured the likes of Jo Nesbo, Stieg Larsson and Lars Kepler. I always keep one eye open for the next author to jump on to. When scouring new book to buy I came across Buried Lies, blazoned across the top was The Swedish number one bestseller, how could I not grab a copy. I was interested in the blurb on the back, the thought of how you would go about proving someone innocents once they had confessed and then killed themselves. Could this be the next author to reel me in and find the need to buy every book they have written?

     Martin Benner Is a hard-boiled lawyer, he loves the best things in life and he lives well, his chosen profession allows him to do this. But when Bobby comes through his door everything changes and his life gets tipped upside down. As a character he was not what I was expecting from a Swedish book, the man has all the haul marks of a big flashy American novel. As someone who lives large, he lacks the usual downbeat and weather-worn feeling I would get from such a novel. The author does this well thought and manages melds the two cultures together into a character I could get behind. But make no mistake will he show the flash of a wall street banker he has a soft spot, his daughter Belle. She allows us as the reader to see a softer point of view to him. It also shows a weakness, Martin will do anything to keep his daughter safe and happy. The way these to play off each other felt genuine and a little heartwarming in a novel the delves into the dark side of life. 

     With a character that already blends country's and the styles they are known for, it is little wonder that the plot should do the same. As the story takes us from Sweden to the U.S and back again we get a mystery that lived up to my hopes. The author manages to bring together several plot lines in a constant show of tension and mystery. With each twist and turn in the story of a woman who may or may not have committed five murders on two contents, my grip on her guilt shifted in the best kind of way. If this had been written by an American author I suspect it would have slipped in among many others out there, but with Ohlsson bring a distinctively Swedish blend to the mix it gave me something more. There is no mistaking its heart is firmly planted in the world of Scandinavian Noir. It shows the darker side of life for all to see and the damage we can do to one another. Drugs, human trafficking, prostitution, and abduction all play their parts in this amazing novel.

     Due to the authors lighter touch when it comes to her book none of these details made we wince. It is more left to the reader to imagine this topic in detail. The villain of this piece if that what you want to call them comes across large and loud and the author gave me someone I could really dislike with a passion. By the final pages, I can say with certainty that I felt satisfied with the ending, and the world build she had done meant I will be happy to go back to this series as I was left with questions to be serenaded.

     If like me you have read a great many books from these fine country's I hope you will give Buried Lies a shot. While covering ground that we have all seen before she manages to bring a breath of fresh air to the genre.